Figure 3. ENaC channel dysfunction during IAV infection.

Mice were infected with 4,000 PFU of PR8^ΔGFP; lungs were harvested at days 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13, 14, and 15 p.i.; and live slices were cut using a live tissue slicer. ENaC activities in infected AT2 cells (GFP⁺) were recorded using cell-attached mode of the patch-clamp technique. (A and B) Reduction of ENaC open probabilities for various times after infection. N = 5 mice and n = 29 cells per group. The maximum inhibition was seen at day 7, after which a slow recovery of both conductances was observed. (C and D) ENaC activity, measured as open probability (P_o), was not affected in noninfected cells. Data are plotted as mean open probabilities, top and bottom quartiles ± SEM. Data were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. *P < 0.0001 for each time point compared with noninfected control values.